Ruffler for sewing-machines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

(N0 Mode1.)

W A ESTAVER RUFFLER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Pat entedaMar. 31, 1891.

! (No Model.) w W.. A. ESTAVER.

RUFPLER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

No. 449,112. Patented Mar. 81, 1891.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES n'rnn'r Fries.-

WILLIAM A. ESTAV ER, OF \VORGESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

RUFFLER FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,112, dated March 31,1891.

Application filed June 2 1, 18 90- To (0% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. ESTAVER, of the eityand county of lVorcester, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ruf flers for Sewing-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 represents aside view of a sewingmachine having my improvements combined therewith. Fig. 2 represents a top or plan View of the machine shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a front view of the machine shown in Figs. land 2,a portion of the hinged shield or guard plate being broken away to show some of the parts more fully, as will be hereinafter described. Fig. at represents atop or plan view of some of the parts with the top or work plate removed, while some of the other parts of the machine are shown in section, as will be hereinafter more fully described; and Fig. 5 represents, upon an enlarged scale, a top or. plan view of throats in the work or top plate for the feed, needle, and ruffler points. That part of this top plate in this figure shown is a section, as will be hereinafter described more in detail.

To enable those skilled in the art to which my invention belongs to make and use the same, I will now describe the invention in detail.

In the drawings, the part marked A is the bed, B the neck or stationary bar, Othe needle-arm or operating-lever, and D the eccentric connection by which the needle-operating lever is driven, of a well-known form of construction of the lVillcox and Gibbs sewing machine.

The main shaft E carries on its front end the looper F, and the feed-arm G, needle-post H and presser-foot post H" are all made and operated in the usual manner.

In Fig. 4 the top plate A is removed, while the neck B and eccentric connection D are shown in section, thereby removing all of the upper or overhanging parts of the machine to expose to view more fully the mechanism relating more particularly to my present in- Serial No. 356,295. (No model.)

'vention, which has special reference to the ruffling mechanism now to be described.

Upon the main shaft E is arranged an cecentric E to receive the eccentric-strap F, the upper part F projecting up and being sawed or cut, as shown at a, so that by means of a screw 1), which passes through F the separated parts can be drawn closer together, as occasion may require, to keep the parts from rattling. Strap F is also provided with a projecting arm F into which is screwed the inner end of connecting-arm A which has a check-nut A whereby said connecting-arm can be locked in any desired position. The outer end of connecting-arm A is hinged in the upper slotted end of standard B, the lower end B of which is fitted in a hole formed in the head 13 of a rock-shaft B fitted to rock in pipe-bearings B in the hanger part B, rigidly fastened to the front upper part of the bed-piece A. Rock-shaft B is retained in its position longitudinally by a collar I), provided with a set-screw 19 whereby its shoulder 17 is held against the end of the pipe-bearing nearest head B by which arrangement rock-shaft B is left free to rock back and forth in its bearings, but is prevented from endplay. Post or standard B can be set up or down in head B and held in such adjusted position by set-screw Ct.

On the end of rock-shaft B is fitted an upright arm 0, the same being held to the outer end of said shaft bya set-screw 0, whereby said arm can be adjusted forward and back, as desired. The upper end of arm C is slotted, and the outer end of the rufflingbar G is pivoted therein, the front under side of bar G being cut away or beveled off, as seen at (Z,to form the cam or curved shoulder e, and bar G is held down upon the frictionrollfon pin 6 by a spiral springf'. Pin c projects from and is supported in the sliding block 9, the outer end g of which projects through a slot h in the bearing-piece H, the inner end H being rigidly fastened to the A of the frame by screws h h.

An adjusting-screw I passes through and turns loosely in the ends IP H of bearingpiece If, a nut is being rigidly fastened to its inner end, while a spiral spring is is placed front side of the upright part A of the baseon the outer end between its head I and the outer end of bearing-piece H; but before the adjusting-screw l is passed through the inner end of bearing-piece H it is screwed through 5 the inner part of sliding block g, and which it supports and keeps in proper position in combination with the slotted bearing-piece H. The inner end of screw-spindle I has a shoulder thatbears against the inside of the end I1 thus preventing the screw-spindle from moving endwise in one direction, while nut 7a prevents it from endwise movement in the other direction, and spring [13 acts as a friction force to keep spindle I from rattling or being turned too easily from any particular adjusted position cf its sliding block 9, and which block 9 is adjusted back and forth to bringthe friction-rollf nearer to or farther from arm (.i to increase or decrease the fullness of the rufiiing, as hereinafter explained.

Upon the top of ruffling arm or bar G is fastened the ruftling-tinger G by means of the screw m, which passes through slot m in 2 finger G", whereby it' can be adjusted back and forth to the extent of slot at, as desired, to obtain and get the proper inward throw, and which is to have the rattling-points n n a just pass beyond the vertical plane of the needle when they reach the inmost extent of their throw or motion, thereby permitting the needle to stitch and fasten the ruitiing made.

Between the pointsn nandn of finger Ti is 5 aslot 0, wide enough to pass the bridge in the top plate A between the slots cut therein for the proper working of the rutfling-points n n n, which work up through the top plate to act upon the cloth to ruffle the same, point n 40 working on the inside of needle I), while points a a work on the outside of the needle, with the practical result that the cloth rutfled is kept true and not liable to be turned around the needle, as would be the case if 5 the rufliing were done by the points a n on the outside of the needle alone.

To keep the end 9 of sliding block 1 at all times in close bearings and so that it will not rattle, a gilrpiece p is fastened on the inside of the supporting-frame II by screws 1:), said frame-piece having slots, whereby as any wear takes place it can be raised up against the under side of the end g of the sliding block-piece by loosening screwsp', and after adjusting gib-piece p, which is made of tempered steel, screws 1) are tightened up again and the parts work as well as when first made.

hen bar G moved inward, its shoulder 6, coming in contact with rollf, is raised up, thereby raising the points of rul'tlingtinger G through throats in the top plate A to engage or catch the ruftling material, which is then moved forward and the ruffle formed to be stitched in place by the needle in the ordinary manner.

In adjusting the rattling mechanism for use the upright arm C is to be set in a vertical position when rock-shaft i3 is in its extreme inward position, so that said arm 0' will notpass beyond a vertical plane when moving forward toward the needle D, and when in this position standard or post E'and connecting-arm A are to be arranged to stand at right angles to each other, the eccentric E being set at the time to move strap F and its arm F to their farthest inward points, and this adjustment insures the stopping of the rutiling-tinger after its points have just passed the vertical plane of the needle, and the object of making connecting-arm A adjustable is for the purpose of readily adjustingstandard or post B and its connecting-arm A into said desired positions, since the angle at which said parts stand to each other can be quickly Varied by shortening or lengthening connecting-arm Aiand which is done by disconnecting it from the upper slotted end of post 13, loosening check-n at A, and screwing the inner threaded end of connecting-arm A into or out of projecting arm F, as may be required to obtain the desired angle, after which checknut A is turned up against the end of arm F the parts connected again, and the machine is ready for use. Should the operator thereafter desire to give a greater throw or a less throw to arm C, he can do this bysimply raising or lowering post or standard B, as before explained; but this will not materially change the extreme inner throw of finger G.

I will now explain the advantages of the peculiar motion of my rufliing-iinger in vented to overcome and obviate the ditliculties encountered by ruining-fingers having a forward, down, and back motion or a down and back motion as soon as the ruffle is formed. Ruttling'finger G has a six motion action via, the finger first moves forward until shoulder or canrsurface e on the under side of ruftier-bar 1 comes in contact with friction-roll f, when said bar, with its finger G, is raised up, and by which up motion the finger-points n n are forced up through their respective parallel throats .ss in top or work plate A, slot 0 receiving the narrow bridge '1 in said plate. By this motion the points )L a come in contact with the ruiiiing material near its and press it up against the lower flat surface of spring-plate v, and the said ruffling-fiuger G is now moved forward until its points a n have passed the needle and by which operation the ruflle is formed and carried into the proper position to be stitched and secured to the edge of the cloth or material which passes over the upper fiat and horizontal surface of the separator-plate which is supported on the, rutlle-guide plate R, the

front edge of which is perpendicular, but

slants or inclines back from its front inner edge, as fully indicated in dotted lines, Fig.9. After the needle descends and enters the ruftie to stitch it in place finger G", with its pointers n it, moves back in nearly a horizontal plane until cam e descends on the front of friction-rollf, when they drop down and then move back to the point of starting, having had six motions during the time. By the above motion very loose and open work can be ruffled in a perfect manner-such, for instance, as Torchon lace heretofore deemed unattainable by rapid machinery, one great difficulty having been due to the action of the ruftling-tinger used prior to my invention, which had a down and back motion after the ruffle was formed,and which motion of the finger caused its points to catch and draw down the material into the finger-throatin the top plate, thereby spoiling the work. This difficulty is obviated by my invention, in which the finger-points are drawn back, in a horizontal plane, or nearly so, until they are entirely free from the threads of the lace, and results from my six-motion action, as above described.

Itwill be seen that by moving roll f in or out by means of screw-spindle I finger G" can be raised sooner or later and the ruflie made more or less full, as may be desired. In the present instance presser-plate o is formed from the same piece of metal as the separator-plate 72. but it may be made from a separate piece of metal and fastened to the end of separator-plate 7L2. T is the throat for the. regular sewing-machine feed, and t the needle-throat.

The shield or guard plate P, which covers and protects the regular sewing-machine feed and stitch-forming mechanisms, is hinged at P to the upright part A of the bed A of the machine.

The presser-foot post 11 and the parts connected to its lower end are shown raised to show more clearly the spring or presserplate 2', the front end of which is provided with a needle-throat. As ruffler-finger is well supported in a horizontal position, its finger-points do not cant,but act on the ruftling material, whether open-work or fine glazed cloth, in a true and effective manner, and by having guide R inclined back the edge of the ruffling material is always guided into the proper position.

From the foregoing description it will be seen by those skilled in the art that my invention is simple in construction, while at the same time being of great practical value and utility. First, cog-gearing is not employed, nor are the dirty working parts exposed, thereby avoiding the constant liability of the work being caught and injured and the working parts of the machine broken or thrown out of properadj ustn'ient. Second, the ruftling-finger has a positive motion in both directions forward and back, thereby rendering the ruftling mechanism comparatively certain and noiseless, while at the same time the ruftling is necessarily uniform and Very perfect. Third, as the thin end of the rufflingfinger is slotted out and its dividedends so arranged as to work up through separate throats in the top plate of the sewing-machine, one ruttle-point on each side of the needle and also on each side of a narrow bridge-piece,through the innerend of which is the needle-throat, the action of the ruffling-fiuger upon the ruffie material is such as to keep said material from working out and around the needle, thereby causing poor work and a loss of much time of the operator in connecting the work and readjusting the materials. Fourth, the iuclinedguide on top of the top plate,in combination,with the horizontal separator-plate, which is supported on the upper side of the inclined guide-plate, enables the material to which the ruflie is attached to be fed forward in an even and proper manner, since it rests 011 a level surface, over which it passes during the operation of the machine, while the edge of the ruttling material as it is drawn alougbythe-rufflingfinger is guided gradually into the proper line to be caught by the ruffliug-fingerand formedinto uniform the needle of the machine. Fifth, the rufliing mechanism does not cover up any of the working parts of the sewing-machine, so as to prevent the same easy access to said parts for examination or repair, as is the case when the machine does not have my ruffling mechanism combined there-with. Sixth, the construction and arrangement are such that it is ner modify the front guard or shield plate P, which is pivoted to the front upright part A of the bed of the machine by screw P, and hence the work is not liable to become soiled ing-machine feed, the hook or looper, or the oily parts of the ruifling mechanism.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings guard or shield plate P is shown broken away to give an unobstructed front view of the sewing-machine feed proper, and also side views of the rufruftles, to be stitched and secured. in place by not necessary to remove, alter, or in any manor injured by coming in contact with the sewfling-bar G and ruffling-finger G, thereby showing the relative positions of the said parts. My invention enables even an unskilled operative to do good work, thereby producing the best work at a much less cost, even for help,while the production is largely increased, owing to the capacity of the machine to run at a very high speed.

Having described my improvements in ruffling mechanism for sewing-machines, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

of the sewing-machine and rock-shaft B provided with head B of eccentric E, strap F, projecting arm F connecting-arm A standard or post B provided with abifurcated end B, upright arm 0, ruffling-bar G, and rufpurposes set forth. V f 2. The combination, with the main shaftE and eccentric E and strap F, of pro ecting 1. The eombination,with the main shaft E arm F head B provided with set-screw C fling-finger G,substantially-as and for the adjustable standard 13 B adjustable conf meeting-arm A provided with check-nut A roe-kshaft l3", upright arm 0, and millingbar G and milling-finger G, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, in a sewing-machine and with its be(1-plate,of upright arm 0, ruffling-bar G, rultli11g-finger G, bar G being provided on its underside with cam-shoulder e and two horizontal bearing-surfaces, one in front and the other in rear of eam-shoultler e, the latter bearing-surface projecting down below the front bearing-surface the depth of cam-shoulder r2, slotted bearing-pieee ll, with frietionrollf on pin 6, allarrangetl below the bed-plate of the machine, and roelc-shaft1 B" for giving to the ruifiing-fiuger G"its several described motions, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The eombinatiornwith rock-shaft 13, uprightarm G,ruftling-bar G, and ruffling-finger G, of. slotted bearing-pieee II, sliding block 9 g, cam-shoulder e, and pin a, of friction' rollf and atljusting'serew I, substantially as antl for the purposes set forth,

5. The combination, with the bed-plate ol' aseu'inganaehine, stitch-forming mechanism, and rufile formingmeehanisnnof two parallel rut'tler-th roats s s in the top plate, one on each side oif the needle-path, narrow bridge '1, needle-throat 7", ru Filing-finger G, slot 0, and ruflling-points 11 n, substantially as and for the purposes set l'orth.

6. The eo1nbination,with rullling-bar G, milling-finger .l, and meehanismfor operating the same, of adjusting-screw I, slotted bearing-piece ll, sliding block 9 g, cam-shoulder 0-, pin 0, friction-roll f, gib-pieee Q), and adjusting-screws 1') 17', substantially as and for the purposes set; forth.

\VILLIAM A. ES'iAVliIR.

Vitnesses:

T1108. 11. DODGE, PATRICK Onoxm. 

